Fear of wing jacks...
RV8N said:
My cause for fear is that I have been around airplanes for 25+ years and have seen way too many planes fall off wing jacks. Whether this is from stupidity or negligence, I don't know but it happens way too often. Now I am jacking up MY plane that I built with my own two hands. I don't want it coming off the jack and the jack going up thru the wing. If you guys want to roll the dice, go ahead. I'm looking for a better way.
No, I'm hacking MY plane and I may be under it working on the brakes or something else. I want it to be as safe and as sturdy as possible.
If anyone has any REAL solutions that doesn't include wing jacks, I'm all ears.
Karl
I don't intend to start an 'I know more than you' contest or anything, but working as an A&P on heavy and light twins as well as bizjets for years, I've never seen a plane fall off a wing jack, we just used some common ground rules.
-Use only aircraft jacks, nothing kludged together.
-Never jack an aircraft in a place where wind or a taxiing plane can cause lift.
-Read the manual, if it says to put weight on the tail or support the nose, do it.
-Always use jacks with locking collars or push pins, and use them.
-Never, ever, place anything under the aircraft that can damage the skin if the jacks are let down.
-Jack up or down slowly, it's best to work two jacks simultaneously with two mechanics, but if alone, go a little at a time.
-Minimize any trips into the flight deck while on jacks.
-Oh, and watch your fingers around jacks.... ;-)
Also, another thing that most people probably do not do if they are not in a working shop is securing the tail. Every shop I worked in we had a 55 gal drum that was cut in half (or quarter), casters were mounted to the bottom, and concrete was poured in around a very large eyebolt. When hardened, this makes a very good portable tail weight. Roll under the aircraft, chain it to the tail, then position your wing jacks. I never lost a plane, and we jacked at least one aircraft per day.
RV-ers seem to be the only people I've run into who fear wing jacks. All production planes from 152's to 777's have jacking and hoisting points out on the wings. I use wing jacks, it's simple, easy, safe (if you use good stuff and follow the rules above) and a proven method. Even early Mooney's specify wing jacks, even tho the jacking point is
aft of the CG, which means that the nose must be propped up, or the tail chained to a heavy object.
I see all the gyrations guys are going thru to avoid wing jacks, and..... well to each his/her own. I just wanted to dispel what I consider an Urban Legend. No need to refute, just another opinion, worth what you paid for it...
Art in Asheville